Thanks for sharing this story. Many great lessons here. Most deal with how we need to shift our mental focus. But the one about giving thanks is especially important. It's a shift of emotional focus; of the heart. We don't always get, nor are we always entitled to, a second chance. We need to be grateful when we survive life's ordeals, and learn that humilitiy is a greater teacher than pride.

I really like the description of needing to calm down and focus in the face of what can seem like an overwhelming challenge. Onyeka felt that panic feeling in the raging river, I've felt it waking up at 3 in the morning!

I've taken such a dunk in a raging body of water and it does put things into perspective quickly! Great advice on how to approach anything in life - career, family, friendships, etc. Thanks for the refresher on Focus - "Write your goals, set deadlines, and measure those goals".

As InformationWeek Government readers were busy firming up their fiscal year 2015 budgets, we asked them to rate more than 30 IT initiatives in terms of importance and current leadership focus. No surprise, among more than 30 options, security is No. 1. After that, things get less predictable.